


i've got the strangest feeling (this isn't our first time around)

by commonemergency



Series: ficmas 2017. [16]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-15 17:17:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13035792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commonemergency/pseuds/commonemergency
Summary: Dan wants to say, I’ve known you before, in another place, in another time, in another way.prompt: Phan meet at a coffee shop.





	i've got the strangest feeling (this isn't our first time around)

In some universes they meet in a coffee shop. It’s in the middle of SoHo, next to sex shops, boutiques, restaurants and Queen’s Theatre. Dan is a student and Phil is a film editor in this universe, they sit directly across from each other and make eye contact sometimes, on lucky days they even accidentally bump into each other, there’s always a burning feeling where they were touched and they carry it with them for the rest of their time in the coffee shop. It’s amazing the way that their chemistry works in this universe, they don’t know anything about each other other than the fact that they seem to both order Caramel Machiatto’s and the holiday special when it comes around every year. Some things stay the same in each universe, the preference of drink is one of them. 

Dan wants to be a writer, he’s been working on a manuscript for the past year now, except he’s been stuck, the story he’s been trying to write often coming second to a degree that he doesn’t really want. It’s been a difficult winter, the snow comes and goes and it’s never really felt the same since his first book tanked, no one really bought it or gave it much of a chance. The feeling of failure is his biggest push to making his second novel better. 

He comes to this coffee shop a lot because he can’t be productive in his shitty flat, with a roommate that’s up all hours of the night playing the guitar (badly). He knows he needs a better roommate but he hasn’t properly met Phil yet. At least not really. 

In every universe they run into each other in weird ways but somehow, this one will be different. 

He’s feeling brave. 

If Dan remembers correctly, Phil comes in two hours before closing, he thinks that’s his motivation, knowing that the coffee shop is going to close soon and trying to finish his project before it does. He looks at his phone’s watch, and he counts to the hour, and he hears the doorbell ring, and he looks up to see him with his laptop in hand and a camera. That’s new. 

Dan gets up, walks over to the counter, not running into him, but saying, “Caramel Machiatto, extra caramel, with whipped cream.” He slides the four pounds to the barista who takes it, eyeing the two of them before paying no mind, she makes the drink in silence.

Phil looks at Dan, and raises an eyebrow but there’s a soft smile on his face. 

“That’s what you get, right?” Dan asks, he knows that it must come off strange, but he remembers it from a long time ago, although he can’t exactly pinpoint where. 

“That’s right.” Phil slips the four pounds he was going to use into the tip jar and leans against the counter to look at Dan. 

“It’s what you get too.” Phil says quietly, like they’re in their own space for a few seconds. When Phil moves closer Dan moves back, and just in time Phil’s drink is ready and Dan hands it to him. Phil smells the sugary goodness and walks passed Dan, their shoulders brush. 

Phil goes to his table and so does Dan. 

The world is silent for a while. Dan plugs his earbuds in and he gets lost in the music for a while, trying to create a story that’s worth telling but he can’t seem to find his groove yet. Words were hard to come by some days, it was like there was a fog and Dan couldn’t find them even if he tried. He’s had the same writers block for a while and it was irritating and sometimes he just wanted to throw his computer. He takes a deep breath and another sip of the coffee. Maybe he just needs a new angle. _Maybe he just needs an interesting life_ , he thinks to himself. 

Dan drinks the last bit of his coffee and gets up to throw it away and then heads to the bathroom to splash his face with some water. He’s feel frustrated over his lack of words, and when he comes back he sees another cup of coffee on the table waiting for him. He picks it up and takes the lid off and it’s what he’s always gotten. He looks to Phil who’s lost in his editing, and then he turns to the barista. 

“He ordered it for you.” She tells him while cleaning the half and half spillings that were made. 

It tastes as how it always does, maybe a little sweeter. 

When the night comes to an end and the chairs are slowly being stacked on the table, Dan looks at his word count and he hasn’t come close to what he wanted to achieve with it. He watches as Phil gathers his things and puts them back in his galaxy backpack that he’s been carrying around for weeks and when he starts to walk out Dan follows after him. 

They’re outside and it’s cold, there’s no snow yet but they predicted that it’d be soon. Phil looks behind him to see Dan and they stare at each other again. 

“Hi.” Phil says, he lets out a small breath cloud. 

“Hi.” Dan says back, feeling the cold wind against his already flushed cheeks. 

Dan wants to say, _I’ve known you before, in another place, in another time, in another way._  
Dan wants to say, _We’ve been here before, in another place, in another time, in another way._

What he does say: “Thank you for the coffee.” with his most sincere voice, because it’s been awhile since someone has been kind, and caring towards a complete stranger like him. 

“You bought it for me first.” Phil says with a small shrug and a sweet smile. 

_I guess I did_ , Dan thinks. 

“What are you working on?” Phil asks, and the streetlight turns on, shining directly on them. People walk passed them, the barista closes up shop, life seems to move on as it always does except under this light. 

“I don’t know,” Dan says with a sigh, “I don’t know what it is yet. It’s a story, but I can’t figure it out. You?” 

Phil gives him a sympathizing look, biting his bottom lip that Dan definitely stares at for too long. “The same. I want to make a movie someday, but I don’t know how to write scripts.”

 _A connection._

This connection leads Dan to walking Phil home who doesn’t live that far away from here but it’s certainly a walk nonetheless. Dan doesn’t mind, he’s got plenty of time. They reintroduce themselves as Dan and Phil, saying they only really knew each other’s names because of it being constantly called out whenever they order drinks. They seem to agree and disagree on a lot of things but seem to have a solid connection that it’s almost scary. 

When they’re outside of Phil’s apartment he has his hands on the rail, and he’s looking at Dan again, like he’s trying to figure something out but not quite there yet. “Have we met before?” Phil asks. “It feels like we have.” 

“Maybe,” Dan says as he’s about to turn away with a small smile on his face, “In another lifetime.” 

Dan has a story, a story that may be too complicated to tell, but that’s what makes it exciting.

**Author's Note:**

> comments/kudos appreciated! 
> 
> follow me on tumblr/twitter: **@nihilismdan.**


End file.
